


The Perfect Moment

by flightinflame



Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies)
Genre: Charles Xavier has a Ph.D in Adorable, Charles Xavier in a Wheelchair, Engagement, Erik Logic Is The Best Logic, Fluff, HBIC Emma Frost, M/M, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-14
Updated: 2019-11-14
Packaged: 2021-01-30 15:36:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21430579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flightinflame/pseuds/flightinflame
Summary: Erik wants to propose to Charles. He's just been waiting for the perfect moment. It hasn't arrived yet.Charles is waiting for Erik to propose. He's been waiting for a long time.Emma is tired of this.
Relationships: Emma Frost & Charles Xavier, Emma Frost & Erik Lehnsherr, Erik Lehnsherr/Charles Xavier
Comments: 12
Kudos: 43
Collections: Secret Mutant Madness 2019





	The Perfect Moment

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by [UnspokenStar](https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnspokenStar/pseuds/UnspokenStar) in the [secret_mutant_madness_2019](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/secret_mutant_madness_2019) collection. 

> **Prompt:**
> 
> Erik and Charles have been dating for sometime and both are tired of waiting for each other to propose so both (with wonderful relationship magic) choose to propose at the same time.

The sun was shining over the mansion, and Charles was staring out of the window. It was one thing to tell the children not to get distracted, and another to actually stay focused himself. The previous night, he and Erik had been to a restaurant, and everything had been wonderful. There was food, and candlelight, and beautiful music, and he had hoped that maybe, this was going to be the time for Erik to go down on one knee and propose to him. But no. Just like the day at the beach the week before, or the trip to Prague two weekends ago, Erik hadn't proposed. 

He kept looking at Charles, even fiddling with his pocket. He was thinking about it all the time - even now as he walked around the lake to try and clear his mind, he was thinking about proposing. And he wasn't proposing. Which was ridiculous. Charles sighed, rolling his eyes and settling back in his chair, his hand resting on the box he'd tucked beside him. He'd been planning to give it to Erik after he proposed, so they would have a ring each, but Erik kept not proposing. It was infuriating.

He loved Erik, but the man was a frustration. With a deep breath, Charles returned his attention to the class that he was trying to teach.

***

The water was shining off the lake, and Erik tried to smile, watching the reflections and pressing down his own sense of exhaustion. He felt a little sick. He had wanted to ask Charles to marry him the previous night, but the evening hadn't been perfect - not after the fuss they'd made about their fire regulations and Charles's chair, and how stressed Charles had been after a busy day.

Charles deserved perfect. Charles deserved an ideal proposal, the kind you got in romantic movies. The kind Charles always talked about, even projected in his dreams. And he couldn't do it. He could never find the moment that Charles deserved, and that meant he was stuck. Three months now, he'd been planning it, and it still hadn't been right.

He could feel the ring in Charles's pocket, or by his side, the one he carried everywhere, and nothing had been good enough for him to choose to use it. Which made sense. None of this had been good enough for either of them.   
He sighed, frustrated and angry at the universe, and at Charles.  
_Hi Sugar_ Emma purred in his mind, and he nearly jumped.  
_What is it?_

_Can we meet at the Vieux Amis Cafe this evening, I need to talk?_ Emma asked, and as soon as he sent his assent he felt her mind withdraw from his own, leaving him alone.

Given it was one with a rather relaxed staff and a ramp, it had been where he and Charles had had their first official date. It also did a particularly good latte, which meant Emma normally asked to see him there. He wished she'd provided a time - normally she wanted to meet around six, so Erik supposed it would be fine if he got there by half past five at the latest.

***

Emma demanding to see Charles wasn't that unusual - the two telepaths often had a lot to talk about, and while their gift and the school's telephone enabled discussion, sometimes it was just better to see each other face to face. Charles understood that, and he'd never refuse Emma if she needed help, even when it was tiring to leave the house and make the journey into town. Getting the car for such a short journey irritated, but he was tired. He parked nearby, and he reached the cafe just after six.

He wheeled inside, smiling brightly at the barista, who waved at him and immediately went to make some of his favourite tea. He approached the till.  
"He's in the corner," the man told him with an indulgent smile.

"Oh?" Charles frowned.

The man pointed over to a dark corner, where a familiar figure was sitting reading. A familiar figure that was definitely not Emma.  
"Your boyfriend got here about half an hour ago, do you want another coffee for him?"

"Please." Charles agreed, noticing the empty cup that was in front of Erik. He paid, and took the tray carefully, resting it on his knees and beginning the careful journey back across the restaurant to where Erik was sitting. He smiled, arranging the tray.

"Hello?"

Erik jolted slightly, then stared at him.  
"You aren't Emma."

"Given you've been sleeping with me on and off for the past five years, I'm glad you've noticed that." Charles muttered, then smiled at the look of sheer confusion on Erik's face, as though Charles had somehow wronged him by not being Emma.

Erik hesitated.  
"Emma told me to meet here."

"She said the same to me." Charles sighed. "I guess we wait for her to show up?"

Erik nodded, putting aside his book and leaning forwards, asking questions about Charles's day, about how the students had been, and what had happened. Charles smiled, slowly relaxing into his words, feeling comfortable with Erik there. 

Erik was nervous about proposing, that much was clear. But it didn't mean they didn't love each other, or that they didn't want to take this step. Mind made up, Charles reached towards his pocket.

***

Erik watched as the steam from Charles's tea swirled up into the air, his face lit with the joy it always showed when he talked about his school. He looked so comfortable, so happy, and Erik didn't think he'd ever forget that. This wasn't perfect, and there was a chance Emma would appear at any moment. But this was where they'd had their first date, and somewhere special. Somewhere that welcomed Charles, prepared his order, was never ashamed or awkward around their relationship.

It wasn't perfect, but it was pretty damned close.

He reached into his pocket.

***

At a safe distance, sat in the wine bar opposite and sipping her champagne, Emma watched as her best friend and his idiot boyfriend became her best friend and his idiot   
fiancé. 

Erik had got down on one knee, and Charles was holding out his box, and they were both laughing and then they were kissing, and she turned back to her drink.

She smirked to herself, and sent across a single message, aiming it at the two of them.

_It's about time._

They both seemed too distracted to hear her.


End file.
